A young woman has told a jury she was sexually assaulted by a man who then trapped her inside his apartment. She told a court she was left 'crying and having a panic attack' after the accused was alleged to have locked her inside the property.
Ashley Sibanda, 23, denies kidnapping the woman and sexually assaulting her in April this year.
Court hears defendant's account
During his trial at Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday, jurors heard the defendant say the pair kissed consensually and he denies any sexual attack took place or that he locked her inside his apartment.
Under cross-examination by Ellie Akhgar, his accuser - a woman in her 20s who cannot be identified for legal reasons - told the jury she had been out with friends in Bury town centre visiting Sky Bar and later another venue, Society, where she met the defendant. She says it was there that Mr Sibanda told a group of men to 'chill out' and leave her alone after she had complained that they had been 'aggressively flirting'.
Woman gives evidence from behind screen
The woman, giving evidence from behind a screen, agreed she had been getting on well and was chatting with Mr Sibanda. She told the jury she could not recall putting her arm around the defendant or hugging him.
She told the jury she went across the road to look for a friend and that Mr Sibanda was 'tagging along' with her. When it was suggested that she had kissed the defendant outside the bar, the woman replied 'ok'.
The woman said she could not recall playing a game of rock, paper, scissors with the defendant to choose which takeaway to visit nor what food was ordered. "I was quite intoxicated," she said. She told the jury she was 'annoyed' her friend had gone home.
Allegations of assault and locked door
She described taking a taxi to an apartment with the defendant at around 3.45am and recalled 'concrete steps' into the property. She said she took a 'swig' from a bottle of Captain Morgan rum and recalled drinking Fanta from a cup. She could not recall drinking vodka.
The woman said she passed out soon after arriving. She denied a suggestion by Ms Akhgar that when she came around she was 'mutually kissing' with the defendant. She told the jury: "He was kind of kissing me. I was turning my head away."
The court heard the woman later told police the defendant had 'become more aggressive' but she told the jury 'he looked more annoyed than aggressive'. She said she was trying to reject him 'politely'. The woman agreed she had been 'panicking' because she had lost her mobile phone.
She alleged the defendant put his hand inside her underwear and sexually assaulted her, adding that when she ran to the front door to leave it was locked. The woman said the defendant placed himself between her and the door and she told the jury: "I was telling him I want to go and he was saying no."
She said she went to the bathroom but the defendant followed her and when she opened a window the defendant 'slammed' it shut on her fingers. "I was saying something along the lines of why did you do that? He was saying I didn't do anything," the woman told the jury, adding that she was 'crying and having a panic attack'.
Defence suggests false accusation
The jury has been told that the woman later managed to get out and flagged down 'strangers' before police were called.
The defendant denied a suggestion by Ms Akhgar she had 'panicked' because she had lost her mobile phone and accused him of stealing it. "I'm suggesting to you on leaving the apartment you realised you were alone without your mobile phone and the police were suddenly involved and your best option was to accuse Mr Sibanda of these allegations. That's right isn't it?" said Ms Akhgar. The woman answered 'no'.
"Mr Sibanda never kept you locked in his house or prevented you from leaving the apartment. He never (sexually assaulted) you did he?" the barrister continued. The woman denied the suggestion.
Mr Sibanda, of Padiham Close in Redvales, Bury, denies false imprisonment and sexual assault. The trial continues.
